Impressive in Syracuse

Posted by Carol Coletta on March 28, 2009 |

Thursday, I spent the day with Marilyn Higgins at Syracuse University seeing the community work inspired (and pushed hard) by Chancellor Nancy Cantor.  Nancy and Marilyn are both smart, can-do leaders who are working to give downtown Syracuse and its Near West Side neighborhood new energy. 

The Connective Corridor is a linear piece of real estate that connects the Near Westside through downtown and the arts district to the (gorgeous) Syracuse U campus.  The university has labeled the district, given it an identity, invited professors and their students to work on projects that will give life to the area.  One of my favorite projects there is the Urban Video Project. 

What was really striking, though, is the patient work the university has been willing to tackle in the Near West Side.  Instead of buying property and inserting university uses there, the university formed an organization run by a community board to guide redevelopment.  After talking with board members at their meeting Thursday afternoon, it appears that the relationships developed in service to the redevelopment of the Near West Side and the methods being used for redevelopment (including a strong dose of listening to residents and involving them…

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